Just wondering if it is illegal to take a picture from someone's web-page and send it to someone in an email? The picture was supposedly copywrited but it had no watermark on it. It was just a regular jpeg of a man standing next to two people. I was not using this picture to make money, nor was the person I sent it to. The person who owned the picture was not using it to make money either. It was just posted on their personal webpage about their life and family. Please help.
2007-03-12 04:50:53 · 7 answers · asked by Curious1 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I think as long as you (as you said) are not making money while using the pic. If you are concerned about it, you can site your source (where you downloaded the pic), like an author does when he/she takes a quote or information from another author.
2007-03-12 04:55:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is one of those instances where the law is too full of technicalities to really give a straight answer.
If that picture was taken by the person who put it on his/her website, then it is technically his/her property, and it is copyrighted.
However, simply placing it on a website in this day and age makes it hard to consider it such, when it's so easily taken and used in other applications by anybody that happens to see it.
We can regard this as a movie or a CD, though. You get the warnings at the beginnings of TV shows (especially sports programs) that say something to the effect of "This program may not be broadcast or retransmitted in any form for commercial use or profit within the express written consent of...", and movies usually say "This film is only for use in non-commercial, private screenings" or something like that. They'reessentially saying, you can watch as many times as you like, where ever you like, with whomever you like, so long as you're not making money off of it or allowing others to make their own copies of it.
The same law protects the images you find on the internet. So long as anyone that sees them isn't making copies of it or using to make money in some way, then it's perfectly legal for you to share it with friends and family.
But it's always a good idea to just let people know where it came from, then there's absolutely no confusion.
Oh, and there's also a little loophole. Isn't there always? Technically, if the website doesn't put a disclaimer or some sort of copyright information regarding the picture, then it could be argued that the picture was part of the free domain.
2007-03-12 12:08:03 · answer #2 · answered by Bard_Buduski 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your action is a 2-part one.The first one is taking the pic and the second is giving it to so else.The first part is illegal no matter what propose u have.But about the 2nd part as u are not doing for bucks,no it is not illegal.So do not do it.It IS ILLEGAL
2007-03-12 12:12:04 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally, yes. That's copyright violation.
In practice, most web pages allow for an implied right to limited distribution for personal use. So, viewing it yourself of forward it to a friend or not (not to a huge mailing list).
2007-03-12 11:54:12 · answer #4 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's only illegal if you plan to advertise this picture to make moey for your business. Other than that, there's nothing illegal about it.
2007-03-12 11:59:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, if the photo is copyrighted. Not all copyrighted material will be stamped.
2007-03-12 11:55:44 · answer #6 · answered by smedrik 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, not if you are not using it to make a buck.
2007-03-12 11:54:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋